TLC Book Tour: The Lost Daughter

I have always been fascinated by the story of Anastasia, the Russian princess who was shot and killed along with the rest of her family, but who presumably didn't die, paving the way for a variety of people to claim they are her. 

Paul's novel sucked me in from the very first page.  Lots has been written about Anastasia, but this book focuses on Maria, another of the Romanov sisters.  Maria writes of her time under house arrest, and then the family's forced move to an underground room.  When a few guards enter the room and begin shooting, Maria realizes that her entire family is to be killed.

And yet through some miracle, she manages to survive, being carried in to the forest and cared for by a guard.  Paul's story unfolds sharing the hardships of Maria's life as years, and eventually decades pass without anyone knowing her true identity.

In 1973 Val is living in Australia in an abusive marriage, stunned by her father's repeated confession, "I didn't want to kill her," shortly before he dies.  This sets Val on a quest to learn more about her father's early life and time in Russia as a young man.

Paul weaves these two stories together seamlessly and I was enjoyed the fact that I wasn't able to guess how the stories came together until I read it for myself.  Although this is a work of fiction, I enjoyed reading about the Romanovs and Russia during this time period.  The Lost Daughter has piqued my interest in knowing more -and refreshing my memory on what I do know -about this royal family.

I absolutely loved this novel and spent much of the weekend curled up reading, unable to put it down.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of the book for my review.  All opinions expressed are, as always, my own.

Friday Five

It's Homecoming weekend for my girls which has made this week busy. My husband was also in Washington, DC, for work until yesterday.  I'd like to say this weekend will be relaxing, but there are plenty of things on the schedule including the homecoming game, a cross country breakfast for the team, hair and nail appointments for my older two girls, and an evening out with friends tomorrow night.  I'd love to have a four day work week  and an extra day of recovery from weekends.  

We've had a heatwave here for a while but the past day or two it has seemed much more fall like.  The things I'm sharing seem to be cold weather wear as well.

1.  Textured Houndstooth Coat - I love houndstooth and this oversize jacket is taking me back in time. Now I'm wondering why I got rid of all my oversize jackets that I wore so many years ago.





2.  Caddick Puffer Jacket - I'm loving the color combination of this and the puffer style as well.






3.  Bozz Prints - this site has some fantastic prints that feature Iowa as well as some other midwestern states and cities.  I'm trying to decide if any of these would be good additions to my house.







4.  High Waisted Elevate Power Soft 7/8 Length Side Pocket Leggings for Women - I love a good pair of printed leggings (much to my daughters' chagrin).  Although I have some plain black pairs, I really like some extra color to my workout wear and like the combination of colors of these.




5.  Lake Como Love Square Printed Tassel Scarf- I have a tasseled scarf that I like, but this one is a more up-to-date version. I like the colors as well.

6.  Camo Weekender Sweatshirt - who can pass up a good camo item?  I like that this is oversized and would work great with a pair of leggings.  I truly don't need one more piece of camo clothing in my closet, but would still love to have this one.






7.  Zoe Fair Isle Sweater Navy Multi-Star - I love the yoke around the neckline of this sweater.  It seems like a little twist on the traditional fair isle sweater.




8.  Apple Graphic T - an apple t is perfect in the fall.....loving this one.




9.  Moa Moa Striped Color Block T - I took my daughters shopping the other night. My oldest daughter picked up a few new things for senior pictures. I wanted this shirt, but used my willpower so far.




10.  Just Mercy Trailer - I loved this book and can't wait to see the movie.

11.  Archie makes a rare appearance - and who can resist the newest pictures of baby Archie?  He looks so much like his father.  





That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: Holly Banks Is Full of Angst

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released book I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: Holly Banks Is Full of Angst by Julie Valerie

Due out: December 1, 2019

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

A laugh-out-loud debut novel for anyone who’s tried to live the perfect life—and learned the hard way there’s no such thing.

Holly Banks could not have made a worse first impression on the seemingly perfect moms in her new affluent community, the Village of Primm. Turns out wearing pink piggy pajama bottoms while dropping off her kindergartener late to the first day of school wasn’t her best look.

Not to mention Holly’s worried her husband may be having an affair, she can’t get her daughter to stop sucking her thumb, her hard-won film degree is collecting dust, and to top it all off, the power-hungry PTA president clearly has it in for her…

To make matters even worse, Holly’s natural eye for drama lands her smack-dab in the middle of a neighborhood mystery—right as her own crazy mother shows up in Primm “to help.” Through it all, Holly begins to realize her neighbors may be just as flawed as—and even wackier than—she is, leaving her to wonder: Is there such a thing as a perfect mom?

TLC Book Tour: Rule of Capture

Earlier this week my husband was searching for something new to read.  Eventually he picked up something and started in. When I got around to inquiring what he had found and whether or not he liked it, his response was interesting.  He replied that what he had chosen was a legal book, and you really can't go wrong with those.  

I'm sure somewhere out there, there are some "legal books" that aren't great, but mostly I, too, have enjoyed this type of book.

Rule of Capture by Christopher Brown is a "legal book."  It also is a dystopian novel of sorts.  I can't help but wonder if this is a book my husband would enjoy, or if this added element would be a deal breaker for him.

“This one is fresh, intelligent, and emotional with a plot that envisions an alternate reality hard to dismiss as unreal.  It’s a legal thriller, with a big twist, stirring and imaginative, brimming with skullduggery, that will have you asking: is this possible?”

— New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry

Better Call Saul meets Ben Winter’s The Last Policeman in this first volume in an explosive legal thriller series set in the world of Tropic of Kansas—a finalist for the 2018 Campbell Award for best science fiction novel of the year.

Defeated in a devastating war with China and ravaged by climate change, America is on the brink of a bloody civil war. Seizing power after a controversial election, the ruling regime has begun cracking down on dissidents fighting the nation’s slide toward dictatorship. For Donny Kimoe, chaos is good for business. He’s a lawyer who makes his living defending enemies of the state.

His newest client, young filmmaker Xelina Rocafuerte, witnessed the murder of an opposition leader and is now accused of terrorism. To save her from the only sentence worse than death, Donny has to extract justice from a system that has abandoned the rule of law. That means breaking the rules—and risking the same fate as his clients.

When Donny bungles Xelina’s initial hearing, he has only days to save the young woman from being transferred to a detention camp from which no one returns. His only chance of winning is to find the truth—a search that begins with the opposition leader’s death and leads to a dark conspiracy reaching the highest echelons of power.

Now, Donny isn’t just fighting for his client’s life—he’s battling for his own. But as the trial in the top secret court begins, Xelina’s friends set into motion a revolutionary response that could destroy the case. And when another case unexpectedly collides with Xelina’s, Donny uncovers even more devastating secrets, knowledge that will force him to choose between saving one client . . . or the future of the entire country.

This novel is one that was out of my comfort zone.  I like "legal books," too, but don't usually look for dystopian novels.  However, there's lots of action and suspense in this book, which covers some timely topics like political corruption and climate change.  Rule of Capture is also the follow-up to Tropic of Kansas which I have not read.  This novel works well as a stand-alone, although I would have enjoyed knowing more background to this story.

Thanks to TLC Book for providing a copy of Rule of Capture for my review.  All opinions expressed are, as always, my own.

For more information, visit the HarperCollins website.

Monday Mini-Reviews: American Royals

This past week I read two fantastic (and completely different) books. I'm sharing the novel I enjoyed today, but am saving the nonfiction book, The Only Plane In the Sky: An Oral History of September 11, 2001 by Garrett Graff, to review later.

I've loved the British Royal Family since I was about nine years old and still love reading about them and seeing the pictures of their families in the news.  McGee's novel is a fantastic imagining of what an American Royal family would be like for our country.  

At first this story felt a little hard to imagine: the US a monarchy?  Dukedoms?  McGee painted a vastly different picture of our country, and at first it felt a little dystopian.  And then, after I got into the story, it seemed entirely possible and realistic. 

I loved the multiple narrators that brought several perspectives to this book. I loved reading about their magical, charmed life (that also had its downfalls).  I loved the soap-opera-like feel to this book, and am so excited to see that this story will continue in the fall of 2020 when the second book by McGee is published. 

Ten years ago (give or take) I read the Luxe series by Anna Godbersen which is a historical fiction series about wealthy young women in the US.  In some ways, this book reminds me of that.

Beatrice, the oldest daughter, has always fulfilled her role as the future Queen, never taking her own desires into account. Now her father is asking her to marry a suitable young man although Beatrice has fallen in love with someone else.

The twins Samantha and Jefferson are the younger royal siblings who have a lot more freedom in their lives.  Samantha has found a young man she's interested in, but their path to happiness is one that has many roadblocks. Jefferson has broken up with his girlfriend, Daphne, and started dating Samanth's best friend, Nina.  Daphne, however, will stop at nothing to get Jefferson back and wants nothing more than to be a part of the royal family.

If you like reading about the rich and famous and love a novel with plenty of drama, American Royals is a book you won't want to miss.  I wish the second installment was being published sooner and hope this is just the beginning of a long series.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Red Lotus

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released book I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian
Due out: March 17, 2020

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant comes a twisting story of love and deceit: an American man vanishes on a rural road in Vietnam, and his girlfriend, an emergency room doctor trained to ask questions, follows a path that leads her home to the very hospital where they met.

The first time Alexis saw Austin, it was a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austin's arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bike tour so that Austin can show her his passion for cycling and he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for him to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austin vanishes into thin air. The only clue he leaves behind is a bright yellow energy gel dropped on the road. As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, and deals with the FBI, Austin's prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austin go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in? Set amidst the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a global thriller about those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who peddle death to the highest bidder.

Monday Mini-Reviews: Fantastic Fiction

I loved the Oprah Winfrey Book Club when she featured a new book and author each month on her show.  I loved the anticipation of waiting for her to reveal her next book pick and I quickly found myself a copy as soon as her announcement came.

Several celebrities have book clubs that I follow now, but most of their selections are hit or miss for me.  Until recently.

Jenna Bush Hager's Read With Jenna book club is my new favorite place to get great book suggestions.  Just as with Oprah, I'm anxiously awaiting the day she reveals her new book club selection.  And so far there hasn't been a single book that isn't amazing.

The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall is the current Read With Jenna selection.  This is a quiet novel with a lot to think about.  Taking place over the course of several decades, we see two couples: Charles and Lily and James and Nan brought together because the two men have been hired to jointly lead a Presbyterian Church. Each man brings different skills that the church is in need of, and so their partnership begins.  The relationships between these four are complex as is their faith (or lack of).  I found myself wanting to highlight parts of this novel, as well as talk it over with a friend or two.  

Patsy by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn - Patsy is thrilled to learn that the visa she has been waiting for has finally arrived and she will be moving to America. This move means leaving her daughter, Tru, behind in Jamaica in order to make a future for herself. But the promise of reuniting with her childhood friend in America and the opportunities that she thought would be awaiting her are much different than what she had envisioned.  As years pass, Tru tries to understand her mother's decision to leave as well as find her own way in the world.  This story felt so real to me, like Patsy was someone I might meet while walking down the street in New York City. My heart ached for how hard her life was and how few of her dreams were realized.

Both of these books were five star reads for me.  I can't wait to hear what Jenna picks for October and hope that her book club continues for a long time.

Friday Five

Today is our first PD of the school year, a day full of meetings without students.  It's nice to spend a day with colleagues, but the meetings? I could do without them.  It's been hot and humid here this week, but the things I'm sharing are definitely not summer-weather clothing.  Fall and winter are truly right around the corner.  

1.  Rae Dunn Mugs- I've been admiring these for a while, but have yet to get any for myself.  I need to find a cheap place to pick some of these up.  When I price them online they are anywhere from $21-$35 for one mug. I refuse to pay that for one mug, so we'll see if I can find them discounted somewhere

2.  Books Build Better Brains - I'm always looking for a new tshirt that promotes reading and libraries and Raygun has a new one out this fall.

3.  Leopard Faux Fur Coat - seeing this coat reminds me of a fake fur coat I had shortly after college. It was such a fun thing to wear, and as I look at this one, I'm beginning to wonder whatever happened to that coat.

4.  Staccato Pattern Sleeve Pullover - I bought this shirt last weekend when I went shopping with my oldest daughter to pick out some clothes for senior pictures.  She ended up with nothing, although I did try to help her find things my choices were decidedly uncool.  And while she thought there was nothing good at any store, I found lots of stuff I'd like.

5.  Open Front Fleece Cardigan - I'm a camo girl in any color and I like the blues in this one.

6.  Patch Detail Camo Cotton Jacket - years ago I bought a camo jacket for myself that I still wear. I really like this one but can't justify purchasing something so similar to what I already own.

7.  British Tweed Mini Skirt - I love a good plaid and this skirt comes in three different patterns.  

8.  Annora Snake Print Sneaker-snake skin seems to be really in this year. I'm loving it on these shoes.

9.  Ingham Shoe Cubby Storage Bench- my daughter's friend has this in her bedroom. I like it, but already know I own more shoes than there are slots in it.  Probably not a good purchase for me, but I will continue to admire it from afar.




10.  Office Ladies Podcast- I'm late to The Office and just started watching episodes this summer.  Now I'm excited to see that a podcast is on its way dishing on all the Office behind the scenes ins and outs episode by episode.

That's it for me this week. What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: Westering Women

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released title I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: Westering Women by Sandra Dallas
Due out: 

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the bestselling author of Prayers for Sale, an inspiring celebration of sisterhood on the perilous Overland Trail

"If you are an adventuresome young woman of high moral character and fine health, are you willing to travel to California in search of a good husband?"

It's February, 1852, and all around Chicago, Maggie sees the postings soliciting "eligible women" to travel to the gold mines of Goosetown. A young seamstress with a small daughter and several painful secrets, she has nothing to lose.

So she joins forty-three other women and two pious reverends on the dangerous 2,000-mile journey west. None of them are prepared for the hardships they face on the trek through the high plains, mountains, and deserts, or for the triumphs of finding strengths they did not know they possessed. And not all will make it.

As Maggie gets to know the other women, she soon discovers that she’s not the only one looking to leave dark secrets behind. And when her past catches up with her, it becomes clear a band of sisters will do whatever it takes to protect one of their own.

TLC Book Tour: The Last Widow

I've seen plenty of buzz about The Last Widow, and was excited when I realized that I was part of the blog tour for this book. I don't think I've ever read anything by Karin Slaughter before, but I love a good suspense-filled novel.

The Last Widow does not disappoint.  From the very first page this story takes off as we read of the abduction of Dr. Michelle Spivey, a woman enjoying a night out with her daughter. No one has seen her since.  A month later there are  explosions at Emory University.  While Will Trent and his girlfriend, Sara, try to get to campus to help, they encounter a car accident and stop to help.  Within just a few pages, Will is badly beaten, guns are fired, and Sara is gone.

There is so much action in this book that I found myself racing through each page, trying to figure out where the story was going. Parts of this story are narrated by Will as he and his boss, Amanda, and coworker Faith try to find Sara. The other portion is narrated by Sara, which allows readers to see what these men are after.  

This is the ninth in the Will Trent series, and because I hadn't read anything by Slaughter before, my first experience with these characters. I was able to read it and thoroughly enjoy it as a stand-alone, but will admit that I'd love to go back and read all of these books.  I know there is history to these characters' lives that I've missed out on and would love to know more about them. 


Thanks to TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of this book for review.  All opinions expressed are, as always, my own

For more information visit the HarperCollins website.

Blast From the Past: September 2009

I love looking back at the books I've read in the past and remembering bits and pieces of the stories as well as what was going on in my life while I was reading them.  Of course, there are some books that I remember better than others and some I'd like to pick up again.

These five are highlights of my reading back in September of 2009.  

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead - I love this middle grade novel that has some time travel elements in it and connects in an amazing way at the end of the book. I have recommended this to teachers and students for years and will continue to press it into the hands of readers.  And thinking back on this book, which I devoured in one sitting, makes me want to buy enough copies to read with my book club at school.

Burn My Heart by Beverly Naidoo - this novel is one I don't remember the plot of, but do remember enjoying it.  Set in Kenya in the 1950s, this novel tells the stories of two boys - one white, one black - Mathew and Mugo who are friends despite their differences in class as Kenyans try to regain their land from the British.  I love historical fiction where I can learn about events that I am unfamiliar with.  

Betsy- Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace - I've been hearing about Betsy Tacy since I really started studying childrens literature, yet I had never heard of them, despite the fact that there is even an entire conference on Betsy-Tacy each year.  I read the first one, and enjoyed it enough and can understand why kids who grew up reading these books have such a connection with them.  It's probably much like how I feel about the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder or the Betsy by books by Carolyn Haywood.

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite by David Kessler, MD - this non-fiction book has so much good information in it that explains why people continue to eat despite the fact that they aren't hungry and are trying to make good choices. He explains how the food manufacturers manipulate ingredients to stimulate our appetites and how difficult it really is to keep from overeating in today's world.  This is a book I could re-read because there is probably much I've forgotten.

The Late, Lamented Molly Marx by Sally Koslow- Molly narrates this story, trying to determine whether her death was suicide, murder or accident.  She is able to watch over her family and relives parts of her life that led up to her death.  There's a lot of humor in this book as Molly unravels what happened to her and finds some peace in her death.

How about you? Have you read any of these titles? What were you reading back in September 2009?

Friday Five: It's Beginning to Feel Like Fall

Some years we have crazy hot days after school has started. So far, our back to school weather has been beautiful, but very fall-like.  The things I'm sharing this week seem a little more fall and winter ish, and I'm glad that animal print and buffalo plaid seem to be hanging around for another season.

1.  Asymmetrical Snap-up Fleece - I have this top in a navy and love how cozy it is.  This one is a must-purchase for me.






2.  Long Sleeve Utility Shirt Dress - my daughter found this dress online as she is trying to find some things to wear for senior pictures. She is extremely picky about clothing, so if this dress works, I will be ecstatic.







3.  Jacquard Ruffle Flutter Top - just a nice top to pair with some nicer pants for work or even a pair of jeans.








4.  Leopard Print 3/4 Sleeve Cardigan - I have a lot of leopard print, but not a leopard print cardigan.  








5.  Women's Hawthorne Snap Button Cardigan-this cardigan comes in several solid colors as well as prints.  I'm loving the dots, but there is also one in camo. 







6.  Palma Platform Slip-on - several years ago I had leopard print shoes and was so upset when my dog at the back off of one of them.  I'd love to have another pair.




7.  Organic Daily Camo Crew - I'm all about camo in any color combination.





8.  The Simple Circle Cross Body Bag in Calf Hair - realistically this purse is too small for me, but I think it is so cute.





9.  Cashmere Sweatshirt in Reedham Stripe - and there's no way we can go too long without having something striped in the lineup.  I love the colors in this one.





10. Charlotte's First Day of School - it's always fun to see the royals - especially the children.  I remember watching Prince William's first day of school (and then his brother's first day) long ago.




That's it for me this week. What's caught your eye?